Is Cleveland big enough for both LeBron James and Johnny Manziel?

The eyes of the sports world will ascend upon Cleveland, Ohio over the next few months. Digest those words for a moment………. Of course it’s been over 50 years since any sports franchise in that town has won a world title. Plus, many great athletes have come and gone over the years which has spurned the wrath of Northeast Ohio on many occasions.

This time around however things are different. The reason for the Lake Erie area being thrust into the spotlight is not because of any one particular team, but rather because of two polarizing athletes. Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James and Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel have taken Cuyahoga County by storm in 2014.

Now we all know that this isn’t James’ first rodeo in Cleveland. He was drafted by the Cavaliers out of high school in 2003, but the Akron native left for greater pastures –A.K.A. two NBA championships– with the Miami Heat in 2010. Now we all know about the firestorm that was created by James’ “Decision” to leave Ohio.

There was even more animosity when LeBron held up those back-to-back (2012, 2013) Larry O’Brien Trophy’s in the Heat’s uniform. But overall, time has healed and soothed all wounds since then. And when James opted out of his contract with the Miami Heat earlier this summer, he chose to return to his hometown team as opposed to taking another big money deal.

Now he has the daunting task of leading his team back to the postseason (and perhaps beyond) for the first time since his departure four years ago. The pressure and spotlight are all on him, just like it will be on Manziel.

Speaking of the former Texas A&M quarterback, the Browns selected him in the first round of the NFL Draft back in May. Even though he has yet to throw an NFL pass, he’s already become the talk of the town. Unfortunately he’s more known for his partying and off-field behavior at the moment, but the Browns are betting their future on “Money Manziel’s” abilities.

In the overall scheme of things, the city itself is using these two dynamic players in order to boost tourism and the staggering economy. With James they have the “Prodigal Son” story. They believe that LeBron is returning to lead his home team to the glory of an NBA title.

With Manziel, they hope that he’ll one day lead the Browns back to greatness. The marketing potential for these two is unlimited, especially since both players have endorsement deals with Nike. The possibilities are endless but at the end of the day it’s their performance on game day that will make all of the difference.

LeBron needs to prove that he’s home to stay this time. He needs to show is loyalty once again in order to earn back the fans trust. “Johnny Football” on the other hand needs to prove that when it’s time to put on the helmet and pads that he’s able to put his social life aside and concentrate on the task at hand.

This town is desperate for a winning team, a championship team, and these men have been assigned the tasks of bringing championships to these rabid fan bases.

These guys are two of the biggest and most popular athletes on the planet. Can the city of 396,815 people hold the egos of these two? Only time will tell. But one thing is for sure, it will be fun to watch. It will also be a very entertaining next few months in the City of Cleveland.